Smartfish Creates Moving Keyboard: Not To Confuse, But To Help

We briefly mentioned Smartfish Technologies when we rounded up the best
and brightest from the early days of CES 2010, but the new ErgoMotion
Keyboard deserves more than a passing glance. Much like the Optimus
Maximus in its day, this keyboard has the potential to really
revolutionize the way we experience typing. Hailed as the world’s first
intelligent keyboard with a patented motion system, the keyboard got
its roots in the medical world. Now, we're seeing consumers the world
over show interest in it.

As you could expect, the key ingredient here is the ergonomics. It's
intelligent onboard processing enables it to move through seven
different dynamic positions ased on the user’s typing frequency,
periodically adjusting the slope and radial alignment of the hands and
wrists to avoid fixed positions that constrict movement, which often
causes strain and injury. A moving keyboard? Yeah, that's the idea.
There's also a radial adjustment that repositions a user’s hands and
wrists to alleviate the wrist’s horizontal rotation. Furthermore, it
simultaneously alternates forward and reverse slopes to change the
wrists’ arch in a more natural and comfortable position so they are
never in a fixed state during computer usage. We know it sounds a bit
complicated, and in theory, it is; but this type of over-the-top
sophistication could be exactly what the world needed to cut down on
wrist/typing injuries.

It's currently slated to be made only in black, andi t operates from a single USB connection. It will ship in March for $149.95.

“The Smartfish ErgoMotion Keyboard was created to effectively address a
user’s risk of repetitive stress injuries,” said Dr. Jack Atzmon,
president and CEO of Smartfish Technologies. “Our streamlined design,
coupled with our revolutionary ErgoMotion technology, provides for a
more comfortable and enjoyable experience for the user. With the release
of the ErgoMotion Keyboard, we’re pioneering the next generation of
computer peripherals while further advancing our commitment to provide
users with the most sophisticated and comfortable line of computer
accessories available.”

“The ErgoMotion Keyboard transforms the traditional typing experience,”
said John Moldauer, principal of p9 design. “With its unique movement of
the keyboard keyframe, the ErgoMotion Keyboard ensures that the user
experience revolves around the highest degree of comfort possible. The
product design was equally important to creating a superior user’s
experience and the finished product is the most elegant and comfortable
keyboard ever.”

The ErgoMotion Keyboard is a natural companion to the Smartfish’s
recently announced ErgoMotion Mouse, the first laser mouse that features
a patented pivot mechanism to promote a fluid movement, allowing the
mouse to intuitively adapt to the user’s hand position.